Mariners Notebook Rain Delay Doesn't Deter Washburn

Orlin Wagner | Associated Press
Jarrod Washburn allowed six hits and three runs in the Mariners' 5-4 win over the Diamondbacks on Tuesday.

PEORIA, Ariz. With rain blowing into the Seattle Mariners' dugout and a surprise storm leaving everyone damp and cool, Jarrod Washburn easily could have finished his work under cover in the bullpen Tuesday.

He had only one inning remaining in his start against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he could have packed up and left during a 23-minute rain delay.

Pitching coach Rafael Chaves gave Washburn that option, and he flatly declined.

"I don't get much out of throwing in the bullpen and working on the side without hitters," Washburn said. "I can work all year long in a bullpen and it's just not the same. With a hitter, you get a reaction and see how your pitches are moving or not moving, how they're keeping him off balance. That's something you can't do by throwing on the side, even if there's a guy standing in there pretending he's going to hit."

Washburn, signed in the offseason to bolster the Mariners' starting pitching, gave up a home run in the fifth but finished his outing feeling good at what he accomplished. He allowed six hits and three runs — on Luis Gonzalez's two-run homer in the first inning and Jerry Gil's solo homer in the fifth — and has a 2.57 earned run average after four outings.

"I made a couple of mistakes, but for the most part I threw all my pitches and threw them where I wanted," Washburn said. "I'm getting my strength built up and my stamina built up. After five innings, I didn't feel tired. I think I'm getting real close to getting ready for the season."

Washburn, who probably will start the Mariners' third game of the regular season April 5 against the Angels, will get two more exhibition starts.

Fresh Face,Fresh Start

Joe Borchard played his first game for the Mariners on Tuesday, one day after getting what basically had been his wish: a trade from the Chicago White Sox.

The Mariners acquired the switch-hitting outfielder in exchange for left-handed pitcher Matt Thornton, a trade in which the M's got rid of one struggling player but added another.

Borchard, who has power potential but struggled in his brief time with the White Sox the past two years, was thankful for a new opportunity with the Mariners.

"I don't want to say anything negative about my time there," he said. "Maybe the best thing to say is that it did run its course and that it was a good time for everybody to move on. I was very excited to have a new opportunity, kind of a clean slate."

Borchard will compete for a backup outfield spot and, because he is out of minor league options, stands a good chance of making the opening-day roster.

Borchard was a defensive replacement in right field Tuesday but didn't get an at-bat because rain shortened the game to 7½ innings.

Hargrove Wants Animated Ichiro

Ichiro Suzuki was expected to rejoin the Mariners in time to play one of Thursday's split-squad games after being away from the team all of spring training because of the World Baseball Classic.

When he returns, Hargrove would love to see Suzuki as emotionally spirited as he was with his Japanese teammates in the WBC.

Suzuki showed a side of his personality during the WBC that often has been hidden around the Mariners. He openly celebrated his team's triumphs and agonized its failures, and even delivered a bulletin-board quote early in the tournament by saying Japanese would prove their baseball superiority over the Koreans.

The Mariners could do without the trash talk, but they would welcome some emotional fire in a clubhouse that lacked it last year.

"It was good to see Ichiro animated," Hargrove said. "Don't take that to mean I'd never seen him that way before. But it was good to see him enjoying himself."

Short Hops

The Mariners trimmed six players from their major league camp Tuesday, including two catchers they believe are certain major leaguers. Catchers Jeff Clement, last year's first-round draft pick, and Rob Johnson were re-assigned to the minor league camp. The Mariners also re-assigned infielders Matt Tuiasosopo, Asdrubal Cabrera and Todd Sears to the minor league camp, and optioned left-handed pitcher Bobby Livingstonto Class AAA Tacoma. ... Raul Ibanez's first-inning home run Tuesday was his fourth this month and extended his hitting streak to 11 games. ... The game was delayed 23 minutes by rain before the bottom of the third inning, then called off before the bottom of the eighth when another shower rolled through. ... Today's game will mark the return of pitcher Cha Seung Baek, who the Mariners didn't tender a contract in the offseason but re-signed after no other team picked him up. ... Mariners games the next two nights will be televised, tonight against the Royals on KSTW (channel 11) and Thursday night against the Diamondbacks on Fox Sports Net.